Post University’s effort to grow its online program has entered a new phase with the selection of Ronald W. Ogrodnik as president of the Waterbury school.
In 2001, Dr. Ogrodnik was recruited to be the senior vice president of human resources for Education Management Corp., an organization that grew to 76 campuses, 11,000 employees and more than 70,000 students during his tenure.
He also served as the president of Argosy University in Florida where he added new programs, expanded U.S. and international enrollment, improved student and graduate satisfaction, and boosted employee morale.
Most recently, he served as interim president for DeVry University campuses in California where he developed and implemented strategic and operational plans to manage growth, build a culture of teamwork, and stabilize the campus cultures.
Post University has been building its online curriculum for the past five years. In 2008, the university introduced the state’s first completely online MBA degree program, and in 2009, it added a new online master of education degree program. Post University also has significantly expanded programs in support of active duty, veteran and military dependents, including forming an educational partnership with the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. Its Partners in Education Program, which supports employers in their quest to provide valuable educational benefit programs to employees and create a better educated workforce, has grown to more than 50 companies and organizations.
And, on Oct. 20, the university announced its sponsorship of Leadership Greater Waterbury. In addition to a $5,000 underwriting sponsorship, Post is adding online curriculum and collaboration components for the program that this year will help 18 business leaders hone their leadership skills. The participants are chosen from the 13 towns served by the Waterbury Regional Chamber.
Post trustees picked Ogrodnik Sept. 29. He succeeds Kenneth Zirkle who resigned in August to care for his ailing parents.
FastTrac Program at MCC
Manchester Community College will hold a 10-session FastTrac NewVenture course on Tuesday evenings Oct. 26 through Jan. 11.
The course will be taught by John G. Antonich, president of Glastonbury-based Sales Leverage Group. FastTrac New Venture is a practical, hands-on, entrepreneur-learning program that is designed to help students develop skills to create, manage, and grow a successful business, Antonich said. “People who put in the time and complete all 10 sessions of the course will walk out with actual business plans,” he said. “Students can use these plans to help attract actual investment capital and apply for credit from financial institutions.” The program, developed by the Kaufman Foundation, has helped more than 300,000 people start and grow their businesses nationwide.
Fairfield Adding Entrepreneurism
Fairfield University has joined the national trend by offering a concentration in entrepreneurism.
Student demand — both on the undergraduate and graduate levels — is driving the addition to the Dolan School of Business program.
According to statistics provided by Fairfield University’s Institutional Research Department, 41.6 percent of the Class of 2010 indicated that “Becoming successful in a business of my own” is an “essential” or “very important” objective for them. Among the Class of 2011, 5.8 percent selected “business owner or proprietor” as their probable career, an increase over prior years.
Fairfield’s entrepreneurship concentration allows students to study managing a small business, technology ventures, among other courses. Students can also study with a former entrepreneur from India, Dr. Mukesh Sud, who joined the faculty last year to help teach courses in the concentration with a global bent.
In 1985 just 253 colleges and universities offered courses in entrepreneurship; in 2008, the number is 2,000, according to the Kauffman Foundation.
